Medieval Christianity: Understanding Faith, Mysticism, and Worship during the Middle Ages

Podcast-style audio course - 15 Topics
Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
Professor of History, Kean University
(2 customer reviews)
Audio Download + Subscription
$0.00
Audio Download + Subscription
$0.00
Audio Download + Subscription
$0.00

Audio Sample:

This brilliantly taught course will ignite your imagination and inspire your faith.

Throughout history, we have created images to understand our relationships with other Christians, the wider world, and God. For medieval men and women, those images came from Christendom. Christianity was the air they breathed: Christian ideas, devotions, and beliefs shaped their perspectives and mindsets.

Can we unearth their worldview today? Medieval Christianity: Imagination, Images, and Ideas transports you to the fascinating world of the men and women who came before us. With award-winning professor Christopher M. Bellitto as your guide, you’ll explore history and legends, heroes and threats, triumphs and disasters, literature and devotions.

Many associate the Middle Ages with clichés of naïve, gullible peasants. You will discover, though, that medieval Christians lived in a world of religious wonder to make sense of their ea

Audio Sample:

This brilliantly taught course will ignite your imagination and inspire your faith.

Throughout history, we have created images to understand our relationships with other Christians, the wider world, and God. For medieval men and women, those images came from Christendom. Christianity was the air they breathed: Christian ideas, devotions, and beliefs shaped their perspectives and mindsets.

Can we unearth their worldview today? Medieval Christianity: Imagination, Images, and Ideas transports you to the fascinating world of the men and women who came before us. With award-winning professor Christopher M. Bellitto as your guide, you’ll explore history and legends, heroes and threats, triumphs and disasters, literature and devotions.

Many associate the Middle Ages with clichés of naïve, gullible peasants. You will discover, though, that medieval Christians lived in a world of religious wonder to make sense of their earthly lives. Prof. Bellitto’s remarkable lectures will imbue you with a similar sense of wonder.

As you move through the course, you will enrich your spirituality by seeing your own world with new eyes. As Andrew Greeley says in The Catholic Imagination, we transcend our daily lives by making connections between the here-and-now and religious beliefs. Imagination, in short, sanctifies the ordinary and helps us achieve mindfulness.

In this state of mindfulness, you will view life as medieval men and women did: a marvelous journey that draws you closer to God.

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Dr. Christopher M. Bellitto, Ph.D., is an award-winning historian and Professor of History at Kean University in New Jersey. He received a Ph.D. in History from Fordham University. He is the author of ten books and the co-editor of six others; his writing has been honored by the American Catholic Historical Association and the Catholic Press Association. A frequent public speaker and media commentator on Church history and contemporary Catholicism, he has appeared on the History and Travel channels, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and other radio and television stations. He has received a National Endowment for the Humanities grant and is on the Fulbright Specialist Roster.Dr. Bellitto’s books include Ageless Wisdom: Lifetime Lessons from the Bible (Paulist Press, 2016), 101 Questions and Answers on Popes and the Papacy (Paulist Press, 2008), The Living Church and Church History 101 (Liguori Publications, 2011, 2008), and the companion volumes Renewing Christianity: A History of Church Reform from Day One to Vatican II and The General Councils: A History of the 21 Church Councils from Nicaea to Vatican II (Paulist Press, 2001-2002). His articles have appeared in Catholic Historical Review, Church History, Revue d’histoire ecclésiastique, Cristianesimo nella storia, America, Commonweal, U.S. Catholic, and other journals and magazines. Dr. Bellitto also serves as series Editor-in-Chief of Brill’s Companions to the Christian Tradition.

Praise for Christopher Bellitto

“Christopher Bellitto is one of the most compelling and accessible Church historians working today. He brings together the skills of a journalist with scholar’s expertise.”
– Dr. C. Colt Anderson, Dean, Fordham University“One discovers in Professor Bellitto that all too rare combination of scholarly expertise and exquisite communicator. His lectures weave humor with erudition, prophetic challenge with passion for the people of God, and historical objectivity with deep care for the Church.”
– Dr. Elena Procario-Foley, Iona College“Dynamic and accessible, Professor Christopher Bellitto breathes life into Church history in ways that resonate with the experiences of contemporary audiences. Weaving solid scholarship with engaging stories he brings fresh perspectives to the events and people that influence the rich diversity of the Roman Catholic tradition.”
– Dr. Carmen Nanko-Fernández, Catholic Theological Union“Prof. Christopher Bellitto is an outstanding scholar who is widely admired for his great clarity as well as for the depth and breadth of his knowledge. Prof. Bellitto is an excellent guide in all matters of church history, and has a special gift for presenting complex realities in a compelling and clear manner.”
– Mary Doak, University of San Diego“Master teacher, expert scholar, and superb communicator, Bellitto presents exquisitely masterful interpretations of the significance of the various eras of Church history that enlighten and delight. Media commentator on all things papal and episcopal, Bellitto captures the importance of the meaning of the past for the Church in the contemporary moment.”
– Elena Procario-Foley, Iona College“Prof. Bellitto is one of the best contemporary historians of Christian history. His profound knowledge of the subject matter, decades of teaching, eloquent and effective communication skills, make his work an indispensable reference for anyone interested in the thousand year-old Christian story.”
– Ines Angeli Murzaku Ph.D., Seton Hall University

  • The Medieval Christian Imagination
  • Parish Life and Devotions
  • Saints and Sainthood: Miracles or Magic?
  • Feasts and Festivals: Christmas, Easter, and Lots of Holy Days
  • Black Death and the Art of Dying Well
  • Gothic Art and Architecture
  • Pilgrimage and Crusades
  • Knights Templar: Medieval Heroes—and Heretics?
  • Becket: A Medieval Martyr
  • Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales: A Window on the Church
  • Mysticism: The Height of Medieval Spirituality
  • Hildegard of Bingen: A Medieval “Renaissance Woman”
  • King Arthur: History and Legend
  • Inquisition: History and Legend
  • Pope Joan: History and Legend

2 reviews for Medieval Christianity: Understanding Faith, Mysticism, and Worship during the Middle Ages

  1. Mark S., WI

    Summer Survey: July 2017

    Professor Bellito is funny and informative. I love the way he organizes and structures this knowledge,and keeps it alive and very interesting with great asides and anecdotes. A poor professor can drain the life out of any subject, even one you love. A great professor can bring any subject to life, even one in which you don’t have a great familiarity with.

  2. Gerald C., OH

    Summer 2018 Survey

    Having had a minimalistic approach to the history of Christianity in college, I found this program most informative.

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